Tethered projectile game



Dec. 4, 1951 E. c. TALBOT 2,577,637

TETHERED PROJECTILE GAME Original Filed Sept. 21, 1 944 g 5 (Ittorneg Patented Dec. 4, 1951 Substituted for abandoned application Serial No. 555,101, September 21, 1944. "This application September 10, 1948, Serial No. 48,660

1 Claim. (c1. 27'3-40) This application is a substitute for abandoned application No. 555,101, filed Sept. 21, 1944;. i My invention relates to games of the tethered projectile type and is especially adaptedfor employment in a game simulating bowling, although it will be understood that is in no Wise limited to such use.

Briefly and generally stated, the invention has among its objects the provision of a game, as characterized, which provides a playing portion for each pf two players, there being a separate tethered projectile associated with each playing portion, and both of said tethered projectiles being preferably carried by a single supporting 7 member.

Additionally, the invention contemplates a game of the kind stated which incorporates novel receptacle-providing back-stop means for game elements tobe actuated by the tethered projectile,

the nature of the arrangement of the various parts being such that they can be readily assembled for use and packed away when desired.

-Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description of the preferred embodimerit of my inventive concept which is'illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a game embod ying my invention and disclosing .twoseparateplaying surfaces opposite one another; 9 "Fig. 2 is arra menta'ry "longitudinal section through the game board or base member of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is aper'spe'ctive view' of'one of the game elements" adapted to' be'acted upon by the tethered projectile.

Referring to the drawing by reference chare e a ume a .5, desi a re tangular base having the side walls 6 which are secured to the base by staples or the like 1,.or in any other preferred manner. As illustratedltheside walls 6 preferably increase in height from each end of the base 5 to an apex 6a approximately midway the length of base 5. The object of increasing the height of the walls 6 in the direction of the mid-point of the base 5 is to provide confining flanges to prevent scattering of the game elements mg pins. Inthegameas H H i 'intowhich pins-9 willbe drOpP d as ina regular treated rel-m, 1 find it veryfeesiraneto usej ms which embody enlarged bass'ildfand'whoseopposite end is pointedas shown. These pins may be, and preferablyare," golf tees. The'relatively enlarged bases 9a tend tomaintain the pins in an upright position and greatly facilitate positioning the pins on the spots. 8; Also, the enlarged base portions 901' of the .pins9 add to the interest of the game because such base portions tend to maintain upright a pm. which is struck. v and shifted by anotherpin. This places a premium upon both thought and accuracy when next delivering the projectile I! intarg attempt to knock down said shifted pin andthe other then standillu'strated, there being no bowling game, I provide theboundary markers .ifl'which' preferably take the form of transverse strips arranged 'rearwardly ofl each group of spotsld and. preferabl v raised "above the upper surface of the base 5as best indicated in Fig. 2.

,Staples,- such as, or adhesive,.or other means may be availed of for securing the transverse boundary strips ID to the base5.-

' Shifted pins which remain upright, or for that matter prone, onthe respective alley portions ,of base 5 in advance of the associated boundary marker to afteridelivery of the projectile-I1 may beei ther removedor allowed to remain until the player has completeda box? which constitutes three deliveries of projectile IT as in the game of bowling. .I-Iowever, pins; which have slid beyond the associated boundary marker I I! are considered asin the pit. and out of play. Naturally, as heretofore pointed-out,-the-leaving of shifted pins on the alley providesconsiderable of a problem for the playeron the next delivery, of the projectile ll. Obviously, the relatively large based pins greatly increase the interest in the game and draw heavily upon the skill of the player, for the reasons just advanced.

In order to reinforce the intermediate side wall portions 6, and also to provide a back stop rearwardly of the boundary marker I0 of each playing surface, I provide a transverse back stop panel 12 which is preferably slanted toward the adjacent end of the base 5 and has transversely turned terminal portions l2a secured by staples or the like 13 to the opposite side walls 6. It will be observed that the back stop panels or portions l2 cooperate to provide a hopper-like receptacle for the pins 9 when not in use, or for extra pins 9. By forwardly slanting the back stop panel members l2 they tend to prevent the pins 9 from fly- 3 ing by directing them downwardly towards the base 5.

In carrying out the invention, I provide, as illustrated in the drawing, a preferably rectangular (cross-section) post l4 whose lower end is snugly fitted into a similarly shaped hole I5 provided in the base 5, preferably midway between sides and ends of the latter. As best illustrated in Fig. 2, this post l4 provides a sustaining support for the intermediate lower edge portions of the back stop panels or members 12 and by so doing also, of course, reinforces the side walls 6 so that said side walls, and for that matter the back stop panels, may be made of cardboard or other light material. The post [4 rises a substantial distance above the base 5 and is provided with a transverse hole I 4;; through which extends the rod l5 whose opposite ends are transversely bored for the passage of the cords IS. The lower end of each cord 16 carries a ball or projectile element IT to which reference has heretofore been made. The rod may be removed from the hole I .1a. of the post It, but preferably has a reasonably tight friction fit therein so that the portions of the rod which project from opposite sides of the post M will be of the same length. The length of each cord l6 and the length of each end of the rod l5 at opposite sides of the post l4, will'preferably be approximatel as illustrated in Fig. 1, so that it will be possible when delivering the projectile I 'l to actually hit any individual one of the set of pins 9 even when they are rearwardly of the areas con taining the spots 8.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing it is believed that the'construction of'my game will be readily apparent. Of course, the embodiment disclosed in the drawing is simply illustrative, and many changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

The game is 'played'by delivering the projectile I! from a'ppint rearwardly of'the "end" of "the base 5. The projectile is not thrown, but is merely swung or allowed to drop. The score of the game may be kept the same as in the game of bowling. The provision of the boundary marker l0 to'limit the playing area is not only of advantage for this purpose, but, being raised above the surface of base 5, it'serves'to efiect the'toppling of pins sliding thereagainstbut still remaining upright. Another feature of the game which may be availed of for scoring purposes is the cross-member l8 which is secured'to post I4 and provides the hooks I811 which project beyond opposite sides of said post I4, After a player has completedone box, which is tpsay, three swings of the projectile l'!, he may endeavor to make another score or count by so swinging his projectile as to cause the suspension cord thereof to engage itself in one of the hooks lBa.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

A tethered projectile game comprising in combination, a substantially rectangular base, the top of said base providing two playing surfaces which extend inwardly from opposite ends of said base, a post extending upwardly from the center of said base between said playing surfaces, said post having its lower end fitted in a recess in said base, a cross bar frictionally engaged in an opening adjacent the upper end of said post and having its ends disposed above the respective playing surfaces, a tethered ball attached to each of the respective ends of the cross bar, game pieces positionable on the respective playing surfaces, all portions of each of said playing surfaces being in a path of possible travel of one of said tethered balls, sidewall-providing pieces attached to the respective sides of the base, and defining the lateral limits of said playing surfaces, said side wall pieces increasing in heighth from the ends of the base to a point approximately midway the length of same, a transverse inner boundary defining strip for each playing surface, said strips mounted on the upper surface of the base and at opposite sides of said post, a pair of adjacent transversely disposed backstop providing panels extending above and across said base at opposite sides of said post and inclined away from the, latter, said backstop panels having their ends transversely turned and secured to said opposite side wall pieces whereby to reinforce the same and provide. a game piece receptacle between. said backstop panels, and the middle lower edge. portions of said backstop panels being braced against opposite. sides of said post to reinforce the same, and further reinforce said wall providing, side. pieces.

' EDMUND C. TALBOT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 8 13,371 I Iuben Mar. 2 6, 1907 1,203,805 Stephan Nov. 7, 1916 2,160,451 Athey i Mayv 30, 1939 2,319,917 Bruneau May 25, 1943 2,3293% Engstrom Sept. 19, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 328,863 Germany Dec. 30, 1919 

